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How important is Illinois?

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    Bob Cusack predicts Romney will need to win Illinois

  • Duration 9:16
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All right well the man who knows really what is gonna happen in Illinois tonight is ball -- -- the sage of Washington.

The F managing editor of the hill great to see you all I hate to see if we're looking like I'm pretty comfortable win for Mitt Romney tonight.

I think -- and I wouldn't have said that about a week ago but you've had comments from Rick Santorum like that.

That has not helped him in every state that Mitt Romney has spent.

A lot of money in and concentrated on he's done fairly well whether that's New Hampshire or Florida.

Of course he narrowly lost Iowa.

But could -- kind of played in that state but kind of didn't -- he's focused on Illinois that again a lot of it's not exactly a deep south state so that helps Romney.

The expectation game that was very important here Jonathan because remember Romney was predicting.

At least one win in Alabama or Mississippi that didn't happen so if the -- barely win.

The expectation is it gonna win big so they don't win big -- they could be epic traders that went for Santorum.

How much of of -- How much does that play in that this kind of primary election to vote is just dismiss it ball -- they really think wait.

He's saying the economy doesn't matter in this year -- more here.

This.

I think it's a ladder -- and I mean especially in this sound bite world -- saying I like to fire people.

-- -- almost got a pink slip and into two -- of of Mitt Romney.

When you say it's not about the economy when every poll shows yes indeed it is about the economy not say that's the only issue there's a -- -- social issues but clearly.

The economy is on everybody's mind gas prices that's all wrapped together so when -- when voters here that I think a lot -- I scratching their heads and does he understand the pain and I'm going through it and and all the parties I think all the major candidates including President Obama.

They at times have struggled to connect with the average voter.

And -- the party that does this fall is going to be in the White House next January.

-- Bob you talked a little bit about Romney out wanting to win fairly big for the others I guess it's about not losing too big.

And particularly Newt Gingrich I mean any -- that he will drop -- -- if he loses badly again tonight.

No I don't think tonight I would I would bet that he stays in.

We have -- Louisiana on Saturday that is a big state for.

Newt Gingrich that's his the only way he's done well in the south course he didn't win in Alabama Mississippi that was a big blow.

If he does poorly tonight that will be no surprise if he does poorly in Louisiana a distant third maybe fourth.

Then there's going to be more calls for him to get out of that really works -- with Newt Gingrich because he says he is helping.

The anti Romney movement by staying in the race and there are some polls that actually suggests that he has a case there.

But -- over the weekend he was in Washington checking out the cherry blossom so it's not like he's really campaigning hard in Louisiana at least wasn't this past weekend.

Well you come blaming the wanting to check out the cherry blossoms everybody expects that they -- -- out pretty nicely aren't exactly doing.

What's your view ball ball and they sort of debate is is Gingrich.

Stopping Santorum all stopping at a fast fight between the conservative wing of the Republican Party.

Represented by him in the mall moderate -- wing represented by Romney or is he actually help things Santorum as some have suggested.

By just stopping Romney getting to that magic number of 11140 -- delegate.

It's well.

I think it's a little bit a little bit about and I do think that it would be fascinating to see if Newt Gingrich got out of the race how Santorum would do but a recent poll suggests that.

Certainly not 90% of them would go to Santoro my fair chunk of them would go to Santorum.

But a good amount -- also go in the range of 3035%.

I believe -- -- would go to Romney said the delegates would split and remember.

If Newt Gingrich goes all the way to Tampa to the convention.

And Mitt Romney has not hit that magic number of 1144.

Well then Newt Gingrich could be quite -- king maker.

At the convention because he will have some delegates and and then it could be quite a show so he could he could actually stay in this all the way to Tampa and now we reported today that.

In -- in prior years Gingrich's call for other presidential candidates to get out whether that Steve Forbes Lamar Alexander.

Pat Buchanan but but here he is resisting all cost to get out and maybe.

He has a game -- to -- to be a kingmaker at the convention because Mitt Romney.

Has a shot to get to 1144 if you look at the -- can be extremely difficult for anyone else to get to that clinching number but there's a chance he does not get there.

And then there's a lot of -- dealing.

-- and dressing Sara west one of our viewers weighing in the involved says I'd ending any of them will drop back Romney's ahead Santorum is too close -- is too stubborn.

And -- is well poll up.

Does somebody know somebody else Obama chatting awaited -- saying it's it's funny that rumbles is not so insignificant and nobody even ball does talking about him getting -- And he doesn't Indiana may not Qaeda.

-- now I mean he has taken some criticism.

From people who kind of warm tea to Ron Paul the Ron Paul movement because.

There -- a little concerned about this suppose an alliance between.

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul Ron Paul has not -- after Mitt Romney at least not very hard he has gone after Rick Santorum so.

There's a feeling that that Ron Paul the convention will get a big speaking -- And that Mitt Romney will bring him into the fold -- -- -- some of his policies because remember Ron Paul did not endorse Senator John McCain did as they did not speak at the convention.

So that has says turned off some of L Ron Paul supporters and and and basically.

Despite his fervent support he has still not won a state in 2008 and still has not won a state in 2012.

-- problem that we got the other the other big news of the day aside from the primary politically speaking at least was that.

Release of the GOP budget Paul Ryan -- congressman from Wisconsin.

Of the -- front of that.

It's not gonna get past the Democrat controlled senate but is this a good political move on the -- of Republicans.

Well I think they made a good political move in changing the Medicare provisions and last year they got hammered.

On the reforms that they were gonna makes it to Medicare so much so that -- cause division with other committee chairman Republican committee chairman so Paul Ryan.

Well worked out a deal to -- to tinker with the Medicare provisions in his budget.

That actually senator Ron Wyden a Democrat from Oregon has signed on that is upset sympathize house Democrats because they see Ryan's.

Blueprint.

As a way for them to give back the majority in the house now Paul Ryan is a good spokesman.

For the party but Republican leaders it didn't exactly get behind him.

Last year now that he's take good with it and made it more politically correct some would say.

I would think that John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are gonna rally around this budget and and this is about all this is a battle between the Republican budget and that end the president's budget and it's going to be settled.

Not legislatively but in November and a while he -- -- It -- it though ball.

He's it it's gonna be open to the same democratic accusations.

That he actually -- benefits -- Lola lower income people and keeps tax cuts for the rich is it not yes.

Yeah that's right and that's what Democrats are gonna Har -- That it did rewards.

Millionaires and that is going to be the talking point now Ryan -- said listen unless we do something unless we cut trillions of dollars from the budget has budget would cut over five trillion over ten years.

There is going to be no Medicaid is going to be.

Eventually no Social Security so we have to make these painful cuts the Democrats come back and say this is a matter of choice -- cutting Medicare.

But you're you're not raising taxes on millionaires and remember there are some Republicans who are starting to warm any idea of in Washington.

That okay.

Maybe you can tax millionaires but you have to give us a balanced budget amendment that is a big priority for Republicans that's not gonna happen this year.

But could there be some type of deal eventually that you tax millionaires.

But the Republicans get a balanced budget amendment.

That could be in the works eventually.

Our ball and just quickly what do you make of -- Comment is common to earlier.

That the if Paul Ryan was the VP.

Nominee it really wouldn't make a difference nobody really votes for vice president true or false.

I I think also I think it is now in in this media age that the vice presidential candidate -- a lot of attention we saw that certainly with Sarah -- I would Joseph Biden to.

I think that Romney has to pick the candidate that's -- -- shore up the Hispanic vote his polls are terrible.

Among Hispanic voters he's got to pick somebody I don't think that Paul Ryan's gonna do that Paul -- is respected conservative and certainly.

That would bring some of the base that is reluctant amounts to very skeptical of Romney.

But I think he's got to look at a Marco Rubio perhaps the governor of Puerto Rico as a possible running mate because if -- if they don't win Hispanic -- at least get.

35 to 40%.

As very hard to see them winning this election in November all right ball -- sect the sage of Washington great to have you wisdom as a.

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